Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-08-09

N
reflect that it had probably been by
some moro convenient outside passage;
but he was now so far on his way that
he would not turn back.
He had provided himself with a
pocket-lantcrn, which he now lit The
room was bare of furniture, rs was
every other that he saw in this part of
the house. All was dark, damp and
musty; the dust and cobwebs of half q
century were around him.
But he was too eager to be awed by
such thoughts. He passed through this
room and two others before finding the
stairway. Descending it, the loose
and rotten boards creaked and cracked
beneath his tread, and bats flew Mt the
light,
In the rooms below he searched for
some minutes before finding the COW
cred recess by which the stairs de
scended to the cellar. He knelt down
and thrust the lantern into the open
ing. The darkness and danfpness Of
the rooms he had traversed were multi
piled in that noisome depth. A sick
ening smell pervaded the air.
Tom Burt stood trembling behind
him, his hand grasping the skirt of
Crawford's coat The young man
turned and spoke to him:
''Burt, be not afraid you will meet
no spirits down here. Yet, what l
have already discovered tells me that
it is place of horrors. Summon your
fortitude; nothing will harm you; but
you will need courage to face what You
must see. Come!-keep hold of my
coat, if it pleases you.
In this way they went down, some of
the steps not only creaking, but break
ing beneath their feet. Burt kept well |
behind Crawford, and it was over tine |
young mans shoulder, as he held up
the lantern above his head, that the
sailors first clear view of the CHASTITY |
and W nderful spectacle of the cellar
was had.
Some minutes were necessary to &C
custom their eyes to the gloom of the
place, which was with difficulty and
slowly penetrated by the rays Of the
lantern.
The horrid odor became almost over
Both men stood at the foot
Of the stairs, summoning strength with
which to remain in the place ten min
utes.
The feeble light presently disclosed
TO their eyes, now wOnted to the place,
at once the house of treasure and the
tomb!
Briefly, as becomes the awful nature
Of that scene, let us portray it.
They stood IN one apartment of the
cellar; others were beyond.
This one was perhaps fifteen feet by
thirty. Nearest the walls were heaps
Of refuse, being mostly rotting sails
md cordage-
A small space remained between
his rubbish and vault or opening at
he middle of the cellar The stairs
'ame down at the extreme end, so that
he whole scene was before the specta-
ors.
Around this narrow space, canvas '
'ags had been deposited Their
mouths had been opened; were open.
Their contents were gold - always
gold. Some of them appeared to t
nave been closely examined, for great
gold pieces were scattered thickly
lround the border of the vault. No
of quantity or denomina- I
ion was made at that time; but the i
count of the treasure, in. [
'luding the large number of bags not
'et removed from the great sunken '
hest, showed trife in excess of fifty j
thousand dollars. 1t revealed French c
ouis dor, Spanish doubloons and .
pistoles, Portuguese moidore, British S
iorereigns. The nations of the earth l
lad contributed to make up the Cap S
aims lost treasure.
This was the splendid sight that the n
yes of these men saw. o
Their eyes returned to it, with the d
ascination always exerted upon hui l:
nanity by a great amount of gold. a
let it was to the horrid spectacle in. Il
losed by this treasure that they were t
ongest drawn. Il
The heavy stone, intended to cover "
he treasure-vault, had fallen, and o
pinned between it and the edge of the t
'ault the shoulders of man. He must +
lave been standing in the vault, lift n
ng out more bags, and had just raised +
Up to place one outside, when the mer- {